Saturday, October 26, 2024

Ask AI: "How Should a Genealogist Publish Digital Reports and Books?"

I'm asking questions of the available Artificial Intelligence tools about genealogy and family history research in order to see if I'ver missed something in my unending pursuit of my ancestral families.  

1)  Today, my Prompt is:  You are an experienced genealogist and archivist. How should a genealogist and family historian publish (on paper or online) digital reports and books about his ancestral family lines (some back 12 generations) in significant detail (names, parents, children, dates, places, events, notes, sources, photos, documents)?

Why do I ask this question?  I have a family tree with over 73,800 profiles in my 37th year of research - including ancestral families, descendants of 4th and 5th great-grandparents, surname studies (Seaver, Carringer, Auble, Vaux, and others) etc.  The ancestral families are fairly well researched, many with genealogical sketches and research notes.  They are all in my own Ancestry Member Tree, my own MyHeritage family tree, and over 52,000 of the profiles are in FamilySearch Family Tree, and the ancestors are in WikiTree and Geni.  

So how should I disseminate this information so that it lives on after my demise (besides on my blog which may have a relatively short after-life)?  I have shared ideas about this challenge before - see for instance, Rabbit Holes With Randy - Adding Life Stories to FamilySearch Family Tree.

                                                     (image created by Microsoft Designer)

 I submitted the above Prompt to the free AI tools on OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o, Anthropic's Claude, Microsoft's CoPilotGoogle's GeminiMeta's AI, and Perplexity.

2)  In my opinion, by far the best and most complete answer I received was from OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o:

Publishing detailed genealogical reports, whether in print or online, involves careful planning and organization to ensure accuracy, readability, and accessibility. Here’s a guide to help you publish a comprehensive digital report about your ancestral family lines:

1. Structure and Organization

A genealogical report must be logically organized to present generations clearly and make it easy for readers to follow individual family lines.

a. Pedigree Format (Ancestor Tree)

  • Start with the most recent generation (yourself or a known ancestor) and move backward.

  • For each individual, list names, birth, marriage, and death details.

  • Use a numbering system like Ahnentafel (ancestor table) for clarity. This system numbers the person at the starting point as 1, their father as 2, mother as 3, and so on.

b. Family Group Sheets

  • For each family, create a family group sheet that lists the parents, their children, and key life events for each individual.

  • Include a section for “Notes” where additional context or stories can be added for each family.

c. Chronological or Thematic Sections

  • Consider dividing the report by time period or geographic locations (e.g., “The Carringers in Pennsylvania (1800-1850)”).

  • You could also organize by significant events (e.g., “Immigration from Europe” or “Military Service”).

2. Content and Detail

a. Names, Dates, and Places

  • Include full names, birth, marriage, and death dates, and places for each individual.

  • Consistency in date formats (e.g., “22 Oct 1800” instead of “10/22/1800”) is critical.

  • Indicate variants of names or locations when applicable (e.g., "Carringer, also spelled Kerringer").

b. Biographical Notes

  • Add brief biographies for each ancestor, including life events, migrations, occupations, and stories.

  • Contextualize with historical background if applicable (e.g., “During the Civil War, the family moved…”).

c. Sources and Citations

  • Cite every fact with its source: census records, birth/death/marriage certificates, wills, military records, land deeds, or oral history interviews.

  • Use genealogical standards for citations, such as “Evidence Explained” by Elizabeth Shown Mills.

  • For online reports, provide links to sources if they are digitized.

d. Photos, Documents, and Maps

  • Attach relevant images: photos of ancestors, homes, gravestones, original documents (wills, deeds), and maps showing migration routes.

  • Label each image with detailed captions and dates.

  • In online versions, you can include zoomable images or interactive maps.

3. Writing Style

a. Clear and Concise Language

  • Avoid overly technical jargon. Write in a way that is accessible to both genealogists and family members.

  • Include storytelling elements where possible to bring the narrative to life, while maintaining a focus on documented facts.

b. Balanced Presentation

  • Balance facts with personal stories or anecdotes to make the report engaging.

  • Provide historical context for events (e.g., “Their move to Iowa in 1850 coincided with the westward expansion...”).

4. Publishing Format Options

a. Printed Book

  • If you choose to create a book, consider a professional layout with a mix of text, charts, and images.

  • Use genealogical software to generate family trees, pedigree charts, and reports.

  • Have the book professionally bound or use a service like Blurb, Lulu, or Shutterfly for print-on-demand.

  • Print copies for family members, libraries, and historical societies.

b. Online Options

  • Personal Website/Blog: Create a website or blog to showcase your research. Tools like WordPress, Wix, or Weebly offer customizable templates.

  • Genealogy Platforms: Publish on genealogy websites like Ancestry, FamilySearch, or MyHeritage, where you can link documents, share stories, and invite family to collaborate.

  • PDFs: Convert your report into a downloadable PDF with embedded images, footnotes, and clickable links for online sharing.

  • E-books: Consider publishing an e-book through platforms like Amazon Kindle or Google Books for wider access.

5. Visual Tools and Aids

a. Charts and Graphs

  • Include descendant charts or relationship charts to show family connections at a glance.

  • Use timeline charts for each family or individual to highlight significant events.

b. Maps and Migration Routes

  • Use tools like Google Maps or Mapbox to create interactive maps tracing ancestral migration patterns.

c. Videos or Audio

  • Incorporate video clips or audio recordings of oral history interviews or family memories if you have them.

  • These can be embedded in online reports or linked via QR codes in printed versions.

6. Consideration of Privacy

a. Living Persons

  • For privacy reasons, omit sensitive details (e.g., birth dates) about living individuals.

  • Ensure that you have permission from living family members before sharing their stories or personal data.

7. Collaborative Elements

If you publish online, consider including:

  • A family forum or discussion area for readers to contribute stories, memories, or corrections.

  • DNA Matches: Link to relevant DNA test results or matches that support your research conclusions.

8. Final Steps: Review and Share

  • Proofread thoroughly, especially the facts, dates, and sources.

  • Beta-test the online version by sharing with a small group to ensure functionality and readability.

  • Once you’ve published the report, promote it to family, genealogical societies, and relevant communities (local historical societies, ancestry groups).

By following these guidelines, your genealogical reports will not only be rich in detail but also professional, engaging, and useful for future researchers.

The other AI tools were not as detailed, but did offer several thoughts that ChatGPT-4o did not. 

Perplexity.ai is the only AI tool that provided resources in their response:

4) In general, I think the ChatGPT-4o answers to the prompt are reasonable. While most experienced genealogists are aware of these methods and resources, many inexperienced and occasional genealogists are not.   In my opinion, the answers are relatively terse and could be more fully explained.  That could be done by using the Chat function on the AI tools (and I probably will ask them in the future)!

The Perplexity suggestions are to blogs, social media, software sites, and videos.  These are probably not the best available sources.

There must be more online references to this topic, and I know there are published books that cover this subject.   Please tell me in comments if you have suggestions!

5)  What methods and resources did the answers to the question miss, or should be explained better?  Please tell me in comments!

6)  What other questions should I (we?) ask the AI tools for genealogy research and publishing?  Please tell me in comments!

7)  :  All "Ask AI" posts are listed on the "Artificial Intelligence Posts" page on this blog.  
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Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver


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1 comment:

Lisa S. Gorrell said...

That's a great outline for you to write a book about writing a genealogy book. ;-)